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Brazil are expected to be unchanged from the side that started the 2-0 win over Costa Rica, as Philippe Coutinho and Neymar scored injury-time goals. Danilo is out with a thigh problem and Douglas Costa has a hamstring injury.
Six of the Serbia squad have been booked and will be suspended if they are booked again and reach the last 16, but coach Mladen Krstajic is expected to stick with his first-choice side. Both sides can still top Group E, finish second or be eliminated.
OVERVIEW
Five-time winners Brazil started the competition with a 1-1 draw with Switzerland but the win over Costa Rica kept them on course to advance as group winners.
For Serbia, they won 1-0 against Costa Rica thanks a goal from former Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov, before suffering a 2-1 loss to Switzerland as Stoke’s Xherdan Shaqiri scored a last-minute winner.
However, Serbian Football Association president Slavisa Kokeza and Serbia coach Krstajic were each fined 5,000 Swiss francs (£3,800) for comments they made after the match.
Krstajic told Serbian journalists that German referee Felix Brych should be tried for war crimes in The Hague for failing to award his team a second-half penalty.
The Serbian FA was also fined 54,000 Swiss francs (£41,250) for the behaviour of fans during the game – they displayed discriminatory banners and messages and threw objects.
Brazil’s performances have been surprising considering they had only lost one match in 21 in the build-up to the tournament, scoring 47 goals and conceding just five.
However, a draw for them against Serbia will be enough for a place in the knockout stage. If they win and second placed Switzerland beat Costa Rica, then both teams will have seven points, although Brazil currently have a one-goal advantage in goal difference to see who wins the group.
If both Brazil and Switzerland have identical records then the group winner could be decided by disciplinary records: Brazil have three yellows, Switzerland four. If they both lose then it will be the second and third places potentially decided by the same process.
Serbia will qualify if they defeat Brazil. A draw would be enough if Switzerland lose to Costa Rica by more than one goal. Serbia can still win the group but need to beat Brazil and hope Switzerland lose to Costa Rica.
VIEW FROM BOTH CAMPS
Brazil defender Fagner said: “I believe that because of all we did in the qualifiers and friendlies there is a huge expectation that we win our games.
“Our opponents prepare well to neutralise us, but I think as games go on we will create chances either with plays from the professor [coach Tite] or through our own improvisations.
“Each result and win generates more confidence.”
Serbia boss Krstajic said: “From day one when we saw the draw and the group many people thought that Brazil was the favourite to win the group and the competition.
“We are in a situation where we need to win against Brazil and we will focus and do whatever we can to win, nothing is impossible in life. “We respect their status as favourites to win but they have some weaknesses and we will try to exploit them.”
Source: BBC News
